Best Day Ever?
by brieme33
Summary: Phineas begins to crush on Isabella as they start high school, but how exactly do these feelings develop? A "what if" look into the future/filling in the gaps of Act Your Age if Isabella hadn't given up. I was going for fluffy, but honest, I hope you all enjoy.
1. Last Day of Summer

Thank you to Dan and Swampy for creating this show, and to all the writers, animators, storyboard artists, and voice actors for working so tirelessly to create something so wonderful. Now, on to the story.

So, in Act Your Age we find out that Phineas begins to like Isabella when they start high school, so I just wanted to explore how that might have begun (and if Isabella hadn't "given up"). I love fanfics of Phineas beginning to figure out his feelings, so I wanted to give it a shot. This is my first story ever, so please go easy on me. If you think I should continue with the story, leave a review! For now, it's just a one-shot. Also, sorry to all the Ferbella shippers out there. I honestly do love the Ferbella stories I've read, but for the show I still ship Phinabella. But hey, maybe one day I'll write a Ferbella story because I've read some really amazing ones. Anyways, enough blabbering, please enjoy!

 **I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

"Now _that_ was the best day ever."

Phineas smiled, leaning back against his favorite tree in the backyard. He settled in, looking around at his friends as they sat quietly, letting the extraordinary events of the day sink into their minds alongside the beautiful setting sunset.

It truly had been an amazing day. It was their last 24 hours before summer vacation would end, so the ambitious brothers had of course pulled out all the stops. From the giant car with Ferris-wheels as tires to the life-size cotton candy trees to the rocket powered parasails, it had been incredible. It certainly was one of Phineas and Ferb's most inventive days, yet Phineas was honestly just happy to see the smiles on his friends' faces. Years ago, the contraptions he and his brother built had been completed solely to conquer the long summer days, squeezing out every last drop of fun they possibly could. But, as the years went on, Phineas had grown to simply want to make his friends happy while simultaneously enjoying their company. _His_ version of hanging out with his friends just happened to involve backyard rollercoasters, combined seasons, and giant fighting treehouses.

"I can't believe summer's over." Isabella mused quietly, letting her gaze trail across all her friend's faces.

"Yes, it is a real shame." Baljeet chirped, trying (and failing) to sound saddened by the news.

Buford gave him a shove and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, ya look real torn up about it."

Baljeet sighed. "Well, can you really blame me? I mean, we are entering _high school_ , people! Fresh pencils, new textbooks, advanced calculus…" Baljeet smiled and looked dreamily into the distance, content in his fantasies of complex calculations.

Buford gave him another hard shove as the rest all chuckled at their extremely math-enthused friend until Isabella spoke again, this time directly at Phineas. "Are _you_ sad summer's over, Phineas?"

He looked up at her and shrugged, apparently still torn on the subject. "I guess so. But at the same time, Baljeet's right! I mean, it's high school! It should be pretty exciting, I hope."

The gang smiled at Phineas' optimistic and upbeat answer, nodding along at the true words.

"Besides, no matter what happens, we're still going to be friends! Just with a lot more homework," he added with a sheepish smile.

Everyone nodded to each another in agreement before lapsing into a comfortable silence, occasionally breaking the peace to bring up a favorite moment of the summer or past years. Despite the spontaneous trips down memory lane, it was plain to see that they all had other things in the forefront of their minds, most obviously the upcoming introduction into high school. Ferb chuckled quietly to himself, remarking how he had never seen his usually highly energetic friends so silent. But it had been a long (and fun!) day, and there was that thick, heavy feeling in the air of noticeable and impending change.

They all remained in the familiar backyard, drawing out the inevitable end of summer, until darkness settled and the stars began to twinkle. Finally, they stood, exchanging goodbyes and making plans to ride the school bus together, all agreeing that it would only be right to face this next step as a group.

The line of friends trickled out of the yard, Baljeet and Buford through the gate and Ferb through the sliding door, until only Phineas and Isabella remained. "You better head home, Izzy. Big day tomorrow."

Isabella smiled and nodded. "I know; I just don't want this day to end. Plus, I, I wanted to say thanks."

Phineas looked at her quizzically, "Thanks?" He thought back on the past few weeks but came up empty; he didn't remember doing anything especially noteworthy for her recently. Well, except for that huge sundae after her wisdom teeth procedure (since he never actually got to make her a giant sundae when she got her tonsils out years ago), but still, that had been more than a few weeks back.

"Yeah! I mean, it was a really great day. So, thanks for making it another wonderful one. Honestly every single day this summer was pretty extraordinary. Just like every summer," she finished with a small smile, looking up at him a little nervously, tugging at the bottom of her signature pink dress.

Phineas looked at her surprised, even a little taken aback. He knew that he and Ferb mostly did these summer activities _for_ his friends, but they accomplished it all together, it wasn't just him.

"Oh, well, thanks Isabella! But really, it's a team effort. I mean, we couldn't have made those cotton candy trees without the Fireside girls' churning skills. I still can't believe there's a patch for cotton candy making."

She laughed, smiling a little at his Fireside patch confusion and his modest nature. She walked a little closer to him and shrugged, "Still, without your imagination and positivity, my childhood would have just been full of boring TV marathons and swimming in my pool. So, thanks. You and Ferb, it's pretty incredible what you two can do." She paused, choosing her next words carefully. "You're really amazing, Phineas."

Phineas simply looked at her, his jaw going slightly slack. Isabella had always been nice to him, I mean, she was one of his best friends! But he couldn't remember the last time she had shared such kind words. Well, that's not true. She always made sure to compliment him and Ferb's inventions, but she hadn't spoken about _him_ like that since they were what, ten? He suddenly remembered them traveling around the world in a day and the end of that summer solstice. He smiled slightly at the memory of little Isabella hugging him and exclaiming over the success of the supposed impossible. But still, even then she had made sure to include Ferb in her complimentary words.

Phineas glanced up at her, noticing how the stars lit up her sleek, black hair that was tied back neatly into a no-nonsense braid, with a bow on the end, of course. Phineas had always secretly liked how she had kept the bow for all these years. It was so undeniably Isabella, plus it was pretty darn cute. It was a scientific fact, after all.

He suddenly realized that he hadn't said anything to her yet, and she had begun to look down, playing with her hands behind her back, nervous about the words she had permitted herself to say. Phineas swallowed, his heart beating a little faster, all of a sudden very aware of his sweaty palms and inability to grasp at words. "I, well, thanks Isabella. I, I mean, you're, well, I mean, you do all that with, with the Fireside girls and I do, stuff, and…" Phineas coughed, clearly flustered.

Isabella looked up in surprise, blushing, with a tinge of amusement creeping into her features, clearly enjoying the nervousness she managed to create in him. Although it was certainly intriguing to see the usually self-assured boy nervous and blushing, she wasn't the type to tease those who had been knocked down a peg, so she simply giggled and waited patiently for him to finish his thoughts. He finally swallowed and stopped wringing his hands, looking up at her and saying softly, "You're really amazing too, Isabella."

She smiled, a swarm of fluttering butterflies quickly erupting in her stomach, before reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck, breathing in his signature scent of freshly mowed grass and power tools. Phineas paused, surprised at the sudden contact, then easily wrapped his arms around her back, taking note of the softness of her long braid, and enjoying the way it tickled his hands.

After a few more comfortable seconds of contact, she pulled away, dropping her hands from his shoulders, and beaming. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Phineas. Bright and early!"

Phineas nodded, waving as she went out through the weathered, wooden gate. "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Izzy."

She grinned at the nickname as she skipped home, unaware of the small smile on Phineas' face that remained for the rest of the night, even as he fell asleep, his last thoughts before slumber being that the best part of the day had been nothing else but that quick, yet poignant exchange between the two young teens.

Definitely the best day ever.


	2. First Week of High School

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed the story! It really means a lot. This chapter is definitely longer than the first because I had to do a bit of explaining for Isabella's point of view, but hopefully you all like it! Enjoy!

 **I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

Isabella faced her open closet, head cocked to the side, hands on her hips, and mind deep in thought about the complexities of young teen girl fashion. Pink t-shirt with white shorts? White tank top with pink capris? Throw everyone off and wear orange? No, she quickly put _that_ thought to bed. Orange was definitely not a good look for her, plus that color was all Phineas.

 _Oh, Phineas,_ she sighed dreamily, suspended momentarily from her fashion anxiety as she let her mind wander to a certain red-haired boy across the way. After a whimsical and romantic daydream involving Phineas discovering a unicorn for her, then the two of them riding it into the sunset through hot fudge sundae mountains, she abruptly snapped to attention and shook herself out of it.

"No, Isabella. Not today, okay? Not today. It's your first day of high school! High school! There are more important things to focus on. Plus, you promised yourself that you would calm down about this crush. You. Need. To. Calm. Down. He's just a boy. A red-haired kind, intelligent, loyal, talented ball of positivity that I managed to catch in my heart and… Ugh stop stop! He's just a guy. It's Phineas! Relax. Reeellllaaaaaxxxx. Get a hold of yourself, Fireside girl. And jeez, stop talking to yourself."

She straightened up and stopped pacing, a habit she had become accustomed to during these inner battles between letting go and holding on to her long and lengthy crush. It was true, she had considered giving up on Phineas and her unrequited crush for the past year, but every time she tried, she simply couldn't let go. Maybe it was the way he was always there for her. How he always put his family and friends first. The twinkle he got in his eye when he thought of an idea. Who was she kidding, it was everything about him. He was wonderful.

On the bright side, she had grown enough over the years to limit her trips to Phineasland down to only when she was alone. She had been able to hold in the squealing and embarrassing slip-ups _("you had me at our grandchildren";_ really Isabella? Really?!) enough to hold conversations of just the two of them without dropping any hints that any normal boy would pick up on. She, of course, would still take advantage of the rare moments of time alone together, batting her eyelashes and "accidently" placing her hand on his, but overall, her crush on Phineas had certainly mellowed out over the years of his obliviousness.

She still wasn't bitter though. Being relaxed around him allowed her to get to know him even better, and she knew that he considered her to be one of his best friends. And really, spending time with him was lovely no matter what their relationship status was. Though she certainly would not object to it becoming "in a relationship". Would he ever open his eyes and truly see her? _There was that moment last night_ , she thought, smiling at the memory of his uncharacteristic shyness. Was it possible that he was beginning to like her? She sighed; only time will tell.

She finally decided on an outfit, a pink skirt with a white tee-shirt and her signature pink converse, then hopped down the stairs with her backpack. She said a quick hello to her mother, grabbed the toast she had prepared for her, and made her way to the door. Or, tried to. Her mom came running after her, a camera slung around her neck, and insisted on a picture.

"Mooooommmm," Isabella whined. "Do we really have to do this _every_ year?"

"Isa," her mom started, shooting her a look that meant business. "This is a very special day! My baby's first day of high school! It feels like just yesterday I was walking you to the bus stop for your first day of kindergarten!" She sighed, wiping a little at her eyes before giving Isabella a stern look. "So yes. It is very important that we document your days of youth! Especially since you're growing into such a beautiful, intelligent, and capable young woman."

"Mooooomm," Isabella whined again, this time blushing and rolling her eyes, though she was secretly touched by her mother's kindness. She consented to the picture, kissed her mother's cheek, and quickly skipped out the door.

She arrived at the bus stop, busying her mind with thoughts of the all of the clubs and teams she wanted to join, and said a quick hello to Phineas and Ferb, who had the same bus route. Ferb simply nodded a greeting, while Phineas jumped up excitedly and began speaking hurriedly, eager for the upcoming events of the day.

"Hey Isabella! Are you ready? I'm pretty excited, I hope we'll be in a lot of the same classes! I asked Candace about some of the best teachers and I guess Mr. Storris is one to avoid, but Ms. Applebaum is pretty easygoing and…"

Isabella and Ferb exchanged a glance, trying to conceal a laugh at their unabashedly talkative friend. Phineas rambled on for a few more minutes, saying something about building jetpack backpacks with breakfast food dispensers, until the bus arrived. Isabella inwardly sighed. All the traces of that blushing, awkward Phineas were definitely gone. Maybe she had imagined their whole exchange last night.

They climbed aboard, Isabella sitting in the seat Ginger saved for her while Phineas sat with Ferb. They were reunited with all their friends as the Fireside girls and Baljeet (recently wedgied, but still very excited) hopped onto the bus; Baljeet dragging a sleepy-eyed and protesting Buford in his wake.

Isabella was disappointed to discover that she did not have the same homeroom as Phineas, but Ginger, Gretchen, and Baljeet did, and they all walked together to the new classroom. After chatting with classmates they haven't seen over the summer, the room abuzz with excited gossip and reunions, the students quieted down as new schedules were passed out. Isabella looked over the sheet quickly and thoroughly before exchanging with Ginger and Gretchen. They fortunately had several classes together, filling Isabella with relief that she would definitely still be seeing her best friends regularly every day.

The day passed quickly for Isabella, her excitement continuing on through each coming class. Luckily the whole gang had the same lunch period, and after exchanging schedules she found that at least one of her close friends was in every class she had, though she had only one with Phineas, English. Overall, it was a busy and exhilarating day and she didn't return home until after 5:30 from soccer practice, collapsing onto her bed with a sigh before diving into her pile of welcome back homework.

The week continued to be busy and packed with schoolwork, classes, and afterschool activities. In fact, Isabella was so consumed with school and clubs that she hardly was able to talk to Phineas all week, so she was pleased, to say the least, to find him sitting on her steps leading up to her front door that Friday afternoon.

Ginger's mom pulled into her driveway, dropping her off after soccer practice, as Isabella said her goodbyes. "That was a seriously awesome goal today, Ginger. If we keep this up, we'll definitely get to play in some varsity games this year! Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Hirano! See you tomorrow, Ginger!" Isabella waved to Ginger's mom and gathered her backpack and duffel bag from the car, rolling her eyes at Ginger's not-so-subtle head nod in Phineas' direction and clearly mouthed words, "text me later!"

Isabella turned and walked up the pathway to her front door, stopping in front of Phineas and placing a hand on her hip in mock-amusement. "Hey stranger," she smiled as he put away the walkie-talkie he was tampering with (he was expanding the distance of communication to all over the world in addition to adding in a teleportation feature) and stood up to greet her.

"Hey yourself! Sorry for stopping by unannounced, but I haven't really gotten to see you all week! Ferb and I were thinking you could come over? Maybe watch the new Space Adventures movie? Ferb just got it last week and it has _all_ the deleted scenes and never-before-seen footage!"

With an odd mix of euphoria at the fact that he had missed her, but deflation at the fact that it was Phineas _and_ Ferb's idea, she put on a smile. Hey, time with the two brothers was still time with Phineas, and she was going to take everything she could get, especially because of the dry-spell of this week. She had been so absorbed in her first week as a high-schooler that her time spent in Phineasland had been seriously depleted. Plus, she needed some new material to incorporate into her daydreams. And, it was Phineas! Of course she was going to say yes. But that didn't mean she couldn't tease him a little.

She gave him a bemused look, raising her eyebrows. "Space Adventures, huh? Man, you sure know what a girl likes, Phin."

He chuckled, giving her a playful shove. "Hey, you used to love them when we were younger! Plus, they're awesome. You can't fight the awesome, Isabella."

She heaved a dramatic sigh. "Well, I _guess_ I can grace the Flynn-Fletcher boys with my presence on this particular Friday night. But first, I gotta shower. Two-hour practice has not been kind to me. I'll be over in 20ish minutes!"

"Awesome! I'll see you then. The Flynn-Fletcher boys are forever indebted to you!" Phineas called over his shoulder as he backwards-walked across the street to his home, smiling at her along the way.

She giggled, clearly enjoying their playful banter, "Yeah, and don't you forget it!"

Isabella showered quickly and threw on some clean jean shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Her hair took a little more effort; she had kept the long length all these years, and though it was certainly a pain to brush, she liked the way it looked and kept it. Deciding to forgo a braid in order to make it dry faster, she grabbed her phone and keys, sending her mom a text to let her know where she'll be, and walked over to the house that held such a tender place in her heart.

She knocked on the door, still a little hesitant to simply burst in unannounced. Phineas opened it quickly and smiled at her. "Hey Isabella! All showered up? Getting excited for the movie? Mom said dinner's almost ready and I think it's..."

Phineas trailed off, losing his words mid-sentence. Isabella raised an eyebrow. Was their something on her face? Did she forget to put on a bra? She tugged at the strap. Nope, definitely a bra there. Then why had he stopped talking and what was he looking at? Phineas just stood there, his hand resting on the door frame while his gaze remained steadily on her.

"Uh, Phineas? Is something wrong? Is there something on my face?" She self-consciously touched her nose, checking for snot until he spoke.

"Uh, no, sorry. It's just, your hair's down. It's usually braided."

She looked at him surprised. She patted her hair, realizing he usually didn't get see her hair down anymore. Although when she was younger she usually let it flow freely, over the years it was most often placed in a braid or a ponytail for convenience. But now, it cascaded down her back. Still quite damp, but cascading never-the-less.

She never knew he paid so much attention to her hair. Or maybe he always did and now _she_ was the oblivious one? No, that was most definitely not possible. First his stammering last night and now this? Was actually Phineas starting to like her? She decided to test the waters.

"Oh right, well, it dries faster when it's loose and not in a bun or a braid. Why? Does it, does it look bad?" She knew she was fishing for a compliment, but at the same time she was a little concerned. Maybe he really _did_ think it looked bad.

Phineas' eyes landed upon her own after gently navigating the waves of her hair, the curve of her nose, the lines of her lips… "No," Phineas murmured, still standing in a slightly trance-like state in the doorway. "It looks really nice."

A small smile began creeping over Isabella's face and she looked down, her cheeks turning red and her heart suddenly beating like she just ran a marathon. She's about to say something in return until Linda called out from inside the house, "Phineas, Ferb, dinner's ready. And where's Isabella? Isn't she joining us?"

Phineas snapped to attention while Isabella sighed. "Well, we better go eat," Phineas said, clearing his throat. She nodded and stepped inside. Well, this wasn't the first time she was interrupted. But, this definitely was one of the few times where Phineas was blushing alongside her. _I definitely have more material for my daydreams_ , she thought giddily. _And definitely something text-worthy to talk to Ginger about._

Over the years Isabella had been able to grace the Flynn-Fletcher kitchen table a number of times, and it had always been a pleasant experience. Linda and Lawrence's loving banter, Candace's exasperated grumbling, Ferb's quiet attentiveness, and Phineas' excited ramblings always made Isabella feel right at home, and seeing as she's an only child, the eclectic family's dinners were always a welcome change from the usual silence at home.

"So, Isabella, Phineas told me that you had a pretty busy week!" Linda gestured toward Isabella from across the table as Lawrence chimed in, "I suppose that Fireside girl fire doesn't fade away with age."

Isabella chuckled, her cheeks warming slightly at the thought of her name being brought up by the boy sitting next to her. "It definitely has been pretty busy, but I like it that way! Soccer, debate team, school newspaper, student government… I gotta make Mrs. Fireside proud! And all the Lil Sparks of course."

The two parents smiled, with Linda saying warmly, "Well you definitely do, Isabella. I just hope you leave a _little_ time for fun. It's easy to get stressed with so much on your plate, so I'm glad Phineas invited you over for the movie."

Okay, now Isabella was _definitely_ blushing. Phineas had invited her over to hang out with him _and_ Ferb. Right? But maybe, just maybe… No, it's been a long week, Isabella. Don't get your hopes up for this just to get let down. Just enjoy the time spent with him, okay? _But what about last week_ , a little voice whispered to her. _And just now, that whole hair thing_. _That was definitely something new._ She had to admit that the hopeful voice had a point. It certainly couldn't hurt to say _something._

Isabella smiled and glanced at Phineas, who-wait, was he blushing? _Again_? Twice in one day? Did Phineas somehow develop Candace's allergic reaction to wild parsnips? But, without the gravelly low voice? That seemed like the only logical explanation here. She spoke, keeping an eye on Phineas. "I'm glad he asked me too. I love spending time here with Phineas." She paused, "And Ferb."

Okay, his cheeks were definitely pink. Was she making him uncomfortable? I mean, almost a week ago she had called him amazing for crying out loud! This couldn't possibly be more blush-inducing than that! So, why was he blushing?

"Th-thanks, Isabella. Ferb and me. I mean, I. I mean, us. I mean, you know, we like spending time with you too."

Phineas was looking down at his plate, not meeting anyone's eyes and his face was getting redder by the second. And he was stammering again. Stammering! Phineas did not stammer. He acts excited and he's talkative, but nervous? Stammering? Totally new territory.

Isabella wasn't the only one who had noticed Phineas' odd behavior. Candace was away at law school, but Linda and Lawrence were exchanging looks, their eyebrows raised in interest. Ferb was watching Phineas with an amused expression on his face, clearly holding back a laugh. She gave Ferb a sort of nodding gesture, _is he doing what I think he's doing?_ And Ferb tipped his head back slightly; _it appears so._

Isabella cleared her throat. "Well, I'm definitely excited to watch the movie tonight."

Submerged into darkness for two and a half hours next to her childhood crush? Who is apparently blushing every time she pays him a compliment and noticing her changing hairstyle? Oh yes, Isabella was definitely excited to see what would happen next.

Okay, so how did I do? I wanted to show Phineas sort of struggling with these new found feelings (the next chapter will be in his own perspective), while Isabella just tries to figure out what the heck's going on. Was it too lengthy? Not plotty enough? Did I stay true to the characters? Gahh so many things. Anyways, all reviews and favorites and follows are always appreciated. I think I'm going to try to update every week, so hopefully I'll stay true to that. And thank you all so much for reading!


	3. Movie Night and Confusion

**I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

Phineas leaned against the back of his door, breathing hard with his eyes wide in panic, before sliding down and collapsing into a heap at the bottom. Curling his knees up to his chest and running his fingers through his fiery red hair, he shook his head and sighed, clearly exasperated. Needless to say, it had not been a great night for the young inventor. He sat quietly, deep in thought, while mulling over the events of the last few hours. What on Earth was happening to him?

If Phineas was being honest with himself, the nervousness he had been feeling tonight had really started the last day before summer vacation. Phineas thought hard, hoping he could piece together some sort of idea as to what was going on. It had been an ordinary day (well, ordinary for him), until the end of the night. Isabella had complimented him. Then he had felt all sweaty and jittery. She had hugged him and it was… Nice. Warm and different, but good different. Phineas couldn't help the small smile from creeping across his face when he thought back to the embrace. He shook his head, trying to clear it. They had hugged and held hands numerous times when they were younger, so it shouldn't be a big deal. He didn't understand; why had it felt so different?

 _Okay, fast forward, Flynn, what happened next?_ Their first week of high school. Nothing had really happened that week, but maybe that was the problem. He had felt a bit subdued after Monday, why was that? _You hadn't been able to see Isabella_ , _Phineas_ , _except briefly during lunch and English_. _Would it have anything to do with that?_ It was true, all week he had tried to push it away, but he had a nagging feeling that he had missed her.

 _But that's not so strange. She's one of your closest friends, of course you would miss her,_ Phineas reasoned. _And inviting her over for the movie tonight, that was completely normal. We used to do that all the time during the summer!_ But? _You were more excited than usual when she said yes,_ a small voice argued in the back of his mind _. And then when you answered the door, you your stomach kept flip-flopping. Why were you so nervous?_

The voice had a point. He was usually never nervous around Isabella. I mean, why would he be? She was his friend. She knew practically everything about him and vice versa. It's not like they had any secrets or _reasons_ to feel jittery. But when he answered the door she had looked different. No, it was more than that. _She looked pretty_ , Phineas finally admitted to himself. Was he allowed to think that? He always knew that she was cute, and he wasn't blind, over the years all of his friends, including him, had grown up physically. Yet Phineas blushed while realizing that maybe "cute" wasn't the right word to describe her anymore.

Next they were at dinner where his mom and her were talking about school, and suddenly Isabella said that she liked to hang out with him. His head had turned to mush and he couldn't speak properly. Later, he had tried to pay attention to the movie, he really had. It was Space Adventures! With deleted scenes and interviews with the cast! But all he could focus on was how soft Isabella's hair looked when the light from the TV shined on it. And how good she smelled. Like, lavender? Vanilla? Cinnamon? Had she always smelt this good? Ugh, he felt like his brain was about to explode.

 _Just walk through it slowly, like a math problem._ Math was definitely something Phineas could handle. He could do this. _Okay, so we we watching the movie..._ Isabella sat on Phineas' left with Ferb on her left. Everything had been fine, it had started out simply enough, but ten or so minutes into the movie, Isabella had changed her position on the couch. She brought her legs up sideways, sitting at an angle with her body facing Phineas. Phineas didn't think much of it, until he glanced over, suddenly noticing she was sitting a lot closer to him than he originally perceived. Had she moved over closer to him? _No, that's silly, it's Isabella. She was probably just trying to get comfortable._

Either way, this new position was highly distracting to Phineas. Every move she made had him looking over at her. From the way she hugged her legs tighter when she got scared to the way she unconsciously played with her hair, twirling the black tresses between her absentminded fingers. Phineas didn't know why he all of a sudden found her so much more interesting, but he couldn't help but sneak looks at her every few minutes. Eventually, he was watching her more than the movie itself, and even worse, she caught him. She had felt his eyes on hers and looked over, smiling sweetly and shyly when she realized she had found him mid-stare. He had quickly looked away, trying to fight the goofy smile beginning to stretch over his face.

This was all too much, and that was what led him to suddenly stand up, saying that he felt sick and that he would see Isabella on Monday, before running to his and Ferb's room and collapsing at the bottom of his room's door. It was a lot to handle; certainly not his finest hour. _Well, one thing is for certain_ , Phineas thought. _All this nervousness is all leading back to Isabella._

He finally stood, unravelling himself from the pretzel shape he had somehow tangled himself into. "Okay, what's wrong? How do you usually handle problems, Phineas?" He murmured to himself, realizing he probably looked crazy, but honestly didn't care. These were stressful times! Ideas, planning, blueprints, _those_ were what always came easily to him. He was the idea guy! Ready to seize the day, ready to solve whatever problem he or his friends encountered.

But this was different. He was beginning to feel worked up, nervous, and more excited than usual around his childhood best friend. He was confused, and maybe even a little scared. This was his best friend, this was _Isabella_. Yet he was stuck in a storm cloud of uncertainty and bewilderment at these new found reactions. _But, it was also kind of sunny? Like when it's really dark and cloudy in one area of the sky but then another section is really bright and warm and clear?_ Phineas rolled his eyes, _whoa, slow down with the metaphors, this isn't English class._ But it was true, these new developments were confusing, yes, but also, maybe kind of… Nice?

He collapsed onto his bed, head first, allowing the fluffiness of the pillows and blankets to provide comfort. He heard a soft chattering to his right and propped himself up by the elbow, smiling weakly at the fuzzy companion. "Oh, there you are, Perry. I didn't hear you come in." Perry hopped onto the bed, nudging Phineas' arm and slipping under, simultaneously offering comfort while asking for some back rub love. Phineas willingly consented, his heart rate decreasing easily with each scratch on Perry's back. "When did things get so complicated, Perry?" He was provided no answer except for a soft growling noise, but Phineas didn't mind. What he _did_ mind was that no matter how comforting his childhood pet was, not all thoughts could be erased, and one continued to linger on despite Perry's calming presence: _What in the world are you doing to me, Isabella?_

 **Meanwhile** _ **…**_

"Ferb, what the heck is going on?"

Blushing, stammering, catching her crush watching her; it had been an extremely eventful night for the young teenage girl, so Isabella turned to who else, but her crush's brother for help. She was looking at Ferb, vexed and a little shocked by the events of the last few hours while Ferb leaned back in his chair, glancing back at Isabella with an amused expression etched onto his usually blankly expressed face.

"I think we both know what is happening here, Isabella."

She shot him a look; she was not amused. "Ferb, come on, I _cannot_ handle your sarcasm right now. I mean, this could be big. Do you think he's actually starting to, beginning to…"? She stopped, not even daring to say the words out loud.

"Well, he is certainly displaying some very clear indicators of crushing. Blushing, nervousness, an inability to form coherent sentences…"

Ferb was smirking, laughing at Isabella's shock and Phineas' complete lack of understanding of his own feelings. Ferb loved Phineas like, well, like a brother, but it had been pretty amusing to watch this inner struggle go down.

"Ferb, are you going to be real with me or what? Does he like me? Should I talk to him? I don't want to scare him. Or what if he secretly hates me? This is so surreal." She was biting her lip and tugging at the hem of her shorts, a habit that always seemed to emerge when she was nervous. Which also happened to coincide with many moments involving Phineas.

Ferb sighed, realizing it was time to put the amusement to rest and be serious. "Isabella, I honestly do believe that Phineas is starting to develop feelings for you. Does he understand what those feelings are yet? That, I am not so sure of. I will talk to him when he's ready, and help the best I can. This is obviously all new to him though, so it may take some time." Ferb looked at her, hoping she had taken it all in and that he wouldn't have to repeat himself. Though he had talked more and more over the years, he still found that unnecessary dialogue, was well, unnecessary, and tried his best to avoid it. Although he couldn't help but add, "And Isabella, don't be daft. Phineas would obviously never hate you."

She had stayed silent during his lengthy spiel, but finally laughed. "Okay, okay, I will take your word for it and be patient. Ahh I can't believe this may actually be happening!" She squealed excitedly, bouncing up and down on the living room couch, not able to contain herself. Then she remembered the end of his speech and shot him a glare, "And Ferb! Don't call me daft, god."

Ferb rolled his eyes and chuckled good-naturedly. "Well, someone has to talk honestly around here. And without all that stammering."

Isabella let out a melodramatic sigh and stood, shoving him a little on her way to the front door. "Have you always been this snarky? Because you're taking it to a whole new level. But thanks, Ferb. I'll see you Monday at school. And don't forget to give me updates. Every hour, Fletcher!" She called out behind her as she slipped out the front door.

Ferb snickered, then collected the DVD, heaving a big sigh in preparation for the necessary and impending talk with his brother. _This will certainly be an interesting conversation_ , Ferb thought _. But it is most definitely about time,_ he concluded as he climbed the stairs to his and his brother's shared room, pondering along the way as to what was to come.

Thank you all so much for your follows, favorites, and reviews! I hope you like this chapter. I know not much actually happens plot-wise, but I thought it was time to see how Phineas is processing all these new found feelings, and whether or not he could even understand them. Plus, it was definitely fun to write the banter between Ferb and Isabella. I tried to make it sarcastic and close/sibling-y, hopefully with a bit of humor thrown in. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed.


	4. Time for a Brotherly Talk

**I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

Ferb softly knocked on the shared bedroom door before entering, walking into a scene of Phineas lying face-down on his bed, petting Perry with a bemused look on his angular face. He didn't seem to notice Ferb's entrance, not looking up until Ferb shut the door behind him and walked over to his own bed.

"Hey Ferb," Phineas uttered dejectedly, turning onto his side to better see his brother, still absentmindedly patting the monotreme in his arms.

Ferb nodded a greeting, a bit unsure of how to go about this situation. He of course wanted to help his brother the best he could, but with a subject as sensitive as falling for your best friend, mixed with a boy as oblivious as Phineas, Ferb knew he couldn't force the issue on him. So, despite how torturous (and laughable) the situation was, he simply laid down on his bed and picked up his latest read, _The Old Man and the Sea,_ while sneaking occasional glances at his brother.

Phineas seemed to be going through some sort of convoluted internal struggle, sighing deeply and constantly fidgeting, trying to find a comfortable position. This continued for several excruciating minutes until even Perry had had enough, letting out an uncharacteristic huff before hopping off of Phineas' bed and jumping through the flap on the bedroom door to the hallway outside.

Now Ferb was barely holding back a laugh, enjoying Phineas' restlessness perhaps a bit more than he should. It was almost unreal to watch Phineas struggle with something as simple as a crush, since Ferb had witnessed first hand all of the amazing things Phineas was capable of doing. If it had been anything other than his feelings, Ferb would have quickly asked Phineas what was wrong, but instead he waited, set on letting Phineas come to him, not wanting to make their conversation feel forced or awkward.

Finally, Phineas let out one more melodramatic sigh and turned to his brother saying plainly, "Ferb, I think something's wrong."

Resisting the urge to throw Phineas some serious sass, he replaced his incredulous, _"you don't say?!"_ expression with a softer, " _what do you mean?"_ tilt of the head as he turned to his brother, marking the page in his book and setting it down.

Phineas began to wring his hands (something very un-Phineas-like, Ferb noted), then asked Ferb worriedly, "Do you think I've been acting strange lately?"

Ferb raised his eyebrows in amusement before responding, "Well, it was a bit odd when you ran out of the living room ten minutes ago. And you were red throughout almost all of dinner. And also uncharacteristically quieter this week afterschool each day. Do you mean something like that?"

Phineas sighed _again,_ missing the blatant dripping sarcasm in Ferb's voice. "So, you've noticed then?"

Ferb nodded in amazement at Phineas' inobservance, then offered a look of understanding to which Phineas replied, "Bro, I think I need your help."

Ferb held up one finger, a silent, _one moment,_ expression before zipping off of his bed and running out the room, returning a minute later in a Lawrence's wedding tux with his hair slicked back, a wad of gum in his mouth, and a slightly grumpy looking Perry in his arms.

Phineas watched him, clearly bewildered, as Ferb settled into his desk chair, leaning back and petting Perry calmly as some sort of old Italian music played faintly in the background.

Ferb cleared his throat then began, "So, you come to to me seeking my counsel or help, but when have you ever even offered your hand in friendship? You come into my house, the day I just wanted to watch Space Adventures, and ask for help."

Phineas simply stared until realization dawned on him, a slow smile creeping across his face. He slumped back onto his bed and held up his hands, offering a defensive, "I only ask you for justice. Can you forgive me?"

Ferb shrugged, a look of disinterest on his face before replying, "You ask for the wrong favor."

He then looked off into the distance, continuing to pet Perry until Phineas got the hint. Phineas paused for a moment before realizing, then quickly kneeled and bowed his head in respect, saying gravely, "Be my friend, Godbrother."

Ferb finally grinned and replied smugly, "I've always wanted to do that."

He then stood, shrugging off the tux and running his hands through his now slick hair while giving Phineas a look, _"So, what's on your mind?"_

Phineas once more turned slightly dejected as he realized the fun was over, and settled onto his bed once more. "I don't know, Ferb. I think, I think it's Isabella. Lately, for this past week at least, I've been feeling sort of… Strange around her."

Ferb nodded, offering encouragement while silently prompting Phineas forward.

"Strange how? Well, it's like my stomach keeps flip-flopping. It's kind of like when we lost Perry that one day or when Christmas was cancelled in Danville. But, it's different, you know? I know I'm not worried when I'm around her, so then what is it? Why would I be nervous? It doesn't make any sense."

Ferb allowed his usually passive face to appear thoughtful, before asking, "Is there anything in particular that sets off this flip-flop feeling?"

Phineas snickered slightly. "Flip-flop feeling, hmm say that five times fast. Flip-flop feeling, flip-flop feeling, flip-flop feeling…" He chuckled to himself, drawing out the weak distraction from the conversation before catching Ferb's _"don't change the subject"_ expression.

"Okay, okay. I guess it's usually when she compliments me or is close to me or when she looks kind of…" Phineas trailed off, realizing he had begun to blush. He ran his hands over his face to hide the red cheeks, feeling a little self-conscious, even in front of his brother.

Ferb sighed inwardly, realizing he was probably going to have to walk Phineas through this pretty thoroughly. "What about how she makes you feel, Phineas? How do you feel around Isabella?"

Phineas looked up at him in surprise, like the thought just never quite crossed his mind before. "Well, I feel… good and… happy." He paused. "Isn't that how you're supposed to feel around your friends?"

Ferb gave him a _go on_ gesture, urging him to dig a little deeper.

"More? I mean, she makes me happy, Ferb. I'm glad to see her everyday."

"What about when she's not there?" Ferb pushed.

Phineas raised his eyebrows, "Like when she can't come over during the summer?" He asked, looking over at Ferb for confirmation before continuing, "I guess I feel sad that she's not there. It's too bad that she missed out on that day's adventure."

Ferb was _this close_ to face-palming. _He's right there, he just can't see it_ , Ferb mused. _Sorry Isabella,_ he apologized to the imaginary Isabella in his head. _I know you want him to figure it out on his own, but I think he needs a bit more prodding in the right direction._

Ferb sighed. _Alright, let's give this a shot. Strike the pan while it's hot, or something like that._

"Phineas, do you remember when we were all younger and you and Isabella used to hold hands all the time?"

Phineas gave him a questioning look. "Yeah… Why?"

Ferb flicked his hand distractedly to shut down his protests. "Alright, and do you remember that sunset on that island when we flew the plane around the world?"

"Yeah, Ferb," Phineas looked at him quizzically. "But where are you going with this?"

Ferb gave him a slight shake of his head, _just trust me_. "Okay, now close your eyes."

"Ferbbbbbb," Phineas groaned until Ferb silenced him with a clear death-glar _e_ ; _do you want my help or not? "_ Okay, okay, eyes are closed, jeez."

Ferb inclined his head satisfied. "Right, now picture that island with the sunset. Are you picturing it?"

Phineas nodded, a concentrated look on his face. Smiling a little at his brother's commitment, he continued, "But this time, no one is on the island except for you and Isabella. No plane, no ox, no me or Candace or Buford or Baljeet, okay?"

Phineas nodded, looking a little confused, but following orders just the same.

"Now, instead of worrying about how to fix the plane or arriving home in time, it's just you and Isabella and –"

Phineas cut him off, "Wait, but then how will we get home? Is there some sort of ship? Submarine? Ladder across the ocean?"

Ferb huffed, looking around at his non-existent audience, clearly exasperated. He was _so_ missing the point. "Uh, there's a submarine waiting for you when you're ready. The same one we used to find Buford's fish."

Phineas nodded, seemingly pleased with this.

"Right, as I was saying -"

"But how did we _get_ to the island? The submarine? Was it just Isabella and I steering it?"

"Phineas!" Ferb finally let some of his frustration slip into his voice. "How you got there and how you'll leave the island really doesn't matter, okay? Just picture what I'm saying, alright?"

Phineas peeked at Ferb with one eye, sheepishly offering a soft "sorry".

"It's okay. So, no one is there except for you and Isabella. Just the two of you. Alone. On the island. With the beautiful sunset." Ferb tried his best to enunciate these points, hoping Phineas was picking up on the romantic setting of this visualization.

Checking to make sure the concentrated expression was back on his brother's face, Ferb pressed on. "Now, you and Isabella are sitting there in the sand, _alone,_ watching the sunset. The waves are softly crashing onto the shore. The sand is soft and warm from the summer sun. Isabella is right there beside you, looking at the streaks of red, orange, and yellow reflected in the glittering ocean." He paused before finishing with, "How do you _feel_?"

Ferb looked closely at his brother's face, checking for any tell-tale signs of crushing or any sort of hint of understanding. He was about to give up when Phineas' intense expression suddenly morphed into a content one as his features softened. The crease in his eyebrows disappeared, the scrunch of his nose straightened out, and the tight set of his mouth subsided into a small smile of contentment.

"I feel good. I just feel comfortable, but a little nervous at the same time."

 _Finally, we're getting somewhere_ , Ferb grinned. "Now, remember how you used to hold hands as kids? It was just always something the two of you did. Do you want to hold her hand now? And does it feel _different_ at all?"

Phineas sat back trying to picture it, then suddenly looked a little dumbstruck. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice cracking slightly. He swallowed slowly, "Yeah, I, I do want to hold her hand. It feels different now. It's less like a friend and more like a, like a…"

Phineas' eyes flew open as he lost his balance, actually falling off of his bed onto the floor. He looked up at Ferb in amazement, the confusion on his face completely replaced with pure shock.

"Ferb," Phineas started, speaking softly and carefully. "Do I _like_ Isabella?"

 _Jackpot_ , Ferb confirmed.

His kindhearted (and also quite smug) smile was the only confirmation Phineas needed.

Sorry this chapter is a little late, I had collegey things going on last week so I didn't have much time to write. I hope you all appreciate The Godfather reference. Although they are older now (13/14), they're still Phineas and Ferb, so they're definitely not too old for a little silliness/fun. Plus, it seemed like a kind of Ferb thing to do. It was tricky to write Ferb, especially since he had to do a bit of talking in this chapter. But regardless, it was fun to write the frustration and amusement Ferb had with Phineas while also trying to help him out. I tried to keep it pretty close to the characters and make it feel as genuine as possible. Hopefully that comes through? But at the end of the day, this was a bonding experience for the two of them. Yay for bros! And now Phineas realizes his feelings! But will he pursue them? Who knows? Alright, I'm done. Hope you guys enjoyed it! Review on things you liked/things I need to improve on. Yay!


	5. A Morning Hike

**I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

Isabella's eyes popped open as her annoyingly cheery alarm rang out, alerting her (loudly) that it was 6:00 AM. She quickly turned over and slammed the alarm clock's off button, groaning immediately at the realization that she had forgotten to turn off her weekly alarm set for school. Because today was not a school day. It was a Saturday. Saturday. And now she was wide awake before even the sun had anything to say about it.

"Ughhhhhh," she groaned loudly, turning over and grabbing her purple pillow to press onto her face, effectively muffling the disruptive shouts of grief over lost sleep.

"Well, Isabella, now what?" She muttered to herself. She was a big fan of sleep, but she always had school, morning soccer games or practice, and Fireside Girl meetings (often early on the weekends) to disrupt it, not usually her own carelessness.

 _Well, may as well be productive_ , she sighed, rising out of her warm bed and heading toward the bathroom to brush her teeth.

After successfully scrubbing her molars and dressing in dark jeans with her favorite purple sweater, she decided to take advantage of the beaten sunrise by heading to the park. There was a secret pathway in the forest that her and the gang had discovered a couple summers ago which was perfect to watch the sunrise. It was a peaceful hike through the woods that led up a steep hill. She often hiked it in the summer to enjoy the beauty and shade of the trees, but it was still gorgeous in the winter.

She packed a couple of sealed containers of cereal, milk, and raspberries to eat once she reached her destination, then headed out the door, leaving a short note for her mom writing that no, she hadn't been kidnapped, she was simply out enjoying nature like she was always told to do. As she closed her front door, she automatically glanced at the house across the street, looking up at one of the upstairs windows that faced her house, knowing who was inside, probably peacefully sleeping at this ungodly hour.

 _Phineas_ , she sighed. _Well, it was a good 20 minutes without thinking of him, that's gotta be new record_ , she mused glumly.

Phineas, someone who had always been such a constant in her life, as a crush and as a best friend, had inexplicably abandoned her. It had been months since she had hung out with him, their last real conversation being the night she came over to watch _Space Adventures_.

She still didn't understand it. Everything had been fine, maybe even too fine. She had thought he had maybe begun to see her differently, but that thought was quickly snuffed out when Monday rolled around, bringing along with it no communication with Phineas. It wasn't like he outright _ignored_ her, but it wasn't very subtle either. He had begun to walk to school, leaving long before the bus arrived. When lunch rolled around, he hardly showed up, bringing in a packed lunch from home and eating with Baljeet for Physics Club or with Ferb for Jazz Band.

At first she thought this could all be blamed on busy schedules. She was certainly consumed with afterschool activities (the soccer team had reached second place in States with her and Ginger scoring two of the team's four goals, and Danville's debate team had won this year's fall debate against Ridgeview). But this noncontact went behind simply being occupied. In the one class that had together, English, Phineas moved seats to sit next to Django. He had stopped inviting her over and coming to her house. If they hadn't been neighbors she probably would never even see him except during that brief period in English. Worst of all, she had no idea what she had done wrong. Why did he shut her out?

She took a deep breath in, enjoying rush of the icy air. Months had passed, it was now November, the weekend before Thanksgiving. They only had two days of school next week, Monday and Tuesday, and Isabella was extremely ready for the brief hiatus.

After trying and trying to talk to him, by attempting to catch up with him in the halls or making the effort to catch him on his way home from school, Phineas was determined to limit his contact with her to the bare minimum. Which was basically nothing at all. She had even gone to Ferb, begging for some sort of explanation, but he simply shook his head, at least having the decency to look sympathetic. "I think he just needs some space, Isabella. I'm sorry," he always claimed, offering a quick pat on the shoulder or a sad smile. But space from what? What was wrong?

After months of unsuccessful attempts to reconnect, she had finally given up, instead throwing herself into school and friends, leaning especially hard on the good ole Fireside girls for comfort. She had a sleepover with at least one of the girls every weekend since September, and they had been comforting at first, but after a couple months had tired slightly of Isabella's confused and sad routine.

Just last week she had been standing at her locker with Adyson and Holly, talking about the upcoming break, when Cody Windham had walked by, another freshman in their grade. Adyson had perked up, nudging her. "Cody Windham, huh? He's pretty cute, don't ya think, Isabella?" Isabella didn't miss the eager and expectant look passed between her two friends. She raised her eyebrows, about to answer how Phineas was really the only boy she took note of, when she stopped and instead responded, "Yeah, he's alright."

It was just too much work to protest the determination of her childhood friends, and really what argument did she have anymore? Phineas certainly wasn't interested in her. He wasn't even her friend any longer, and really, that was what hurt most of all. She missed one of her best friends.

She continued to climb the steep incline, stepping carefully among the rocks and leaves littering her path. She was racing the sun, but even without Phineas and Ferb's rocket-powered engine, she was winning. She finally crossed the threshold of pines and clambered up over the large slab of rock that was perfect for sitting and watching the horizon. However, before she could even catch her breath, she caught sight of a certain red-haired boy that had consumed her thoughts the whole hike. She slapped a hand to her forehead in shock. _Fate is a fickle fiend_ , she reflected briefly, as that angular head turned at the sound of her hand to face contact.

 _Man, I know I like to beat the alarm, but this is just ridiculous_ , Phineas reflected, mildly annoyed. It was 5:45 AM and Phineas was wide awake, unbeknownst to him why. He exhaled deeply, turning over and watching the calm rise and and fall of his brother's shoulders in the opposite bed, wishing he could be doing the same. After a few seconds of this, he quickly realized he was not the type to dwell on the uncontrollable, so he reluctantly slid out of bed, wincing slightly at the cool air immediately pressing against his bare feet.

Deciding that the clear sky would make for a good hike and sunrise viewing, he changed into warmer clothes and added several layers before grabbing a couple granola bars and a water bottle, then heading out the door.

He peeked briefly at the house across the way before shoving thoughts of her out of his head, instead focusing on the pattern of his footsteps and steady breathing. It had become of well-known routine to distract his mind from her.

Before he knew it, he had reached the park, quickly locating the secret path and climbing it swiftly. Although he wasn't on any sports team, he still remained quite athletic through soccer with Ferb and the physical labor of building his various contraptions.

He reached the summit and immediately relaxed at the view, sitting and wolfing down a granola bar while appreciating the sights of forest, city buildings, suburbia, and mountains in the distance. He had beaten the sun (apparently not much had changed since he was ten), so he settled onto the large rock, enjoying the temptation of the impending sunrise.

Suddenly, he heard an intake of breath and a slap of skin to skin. He turned, his heart leaping from chest to throat when he locked eyes with who else, but the very girl he had been trying to get out of his head.

An intense blast of different emotions hit Isabella like a stack of bricks, punching her in the chest with shock, happiness, anger, and sadness, before finally settling on eager uneasiness.

"Phineas," she spoke softly, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "I wasn't expecting to run into you here."

"Hey, Isabella," Phineas uttered meekly, offering a shy wave. "I wasn't expecting to see you here either."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to do or say. This was exactly the reason why he had been avoiding his best friend: he just couldn't take all of the emotions and confusion.

"Couldn't sleep?" Isabella asked, fiddling with her backpack strap, insecure of what was the right move.

Phineas nodded. "Yeah, I woke up early for some reason today, and thought it would be nice to catch the sunrise. You know, like when we were younger."

She smiled, suddenly remembering the early morning and late afternoon hikes through the woods with the gang. Then she turned a bit somber. Some of the best days of her life were with Phineas, and now they couldn't even have a proper conversation. But he was still sitting. Maybe this was her chance to reunite the friendship?

She began to walk over to him, speaking with a smile. "Yeah, I kind of had the same idea, though I just forgot to turn off my alarm."

She chuckled a little at his raised eyebrows as he spoke teasingly, "You forgot to turn off your alarm? That's very unlike you, Miss Fireside Girl leader, debate team champion, and Varsity girl's soccer finalist. You're always pretty on top of stuff like that."

She rolled her eyes and finally gathered the courage to sit next to him, fairly confident he wouldn't suddenly jump up and run off, claiming he needed to help Ferb turn their mother's car into a spaceship.

"Hey, just because I do a lot doesn't mean I'm perfect." She shrugged, pulling her legs to her chest while wrapping her jacket closer around her. "Honestly, sometimes it's kinda hard being me. Sometimes, I wish I could just trade places with someone else for the day."

The lines of Phineas' face creased as he looked at her in confusion. "But you're Isabella Garcia-Shapiro! Master of, well, everything! You're the most capable person I know! And I know Ferb."

She gave him a half-hearted smile before shrugging. "That's just it though. Even during my childhood, I was always _doing_ stuff. Leader of the Fireside girls, soccer captain, always the one to organize activities, get everyone together. I mean, you and me were the last two people during the freaking zombie apocalypse, Phin! All of it… There's just a lot of pressure to _be_ someone. To be important and capable and strong and together. Sometimes I just wanna be… me. Not bogged down by all of these expectations."

She let out a breath, running a hand through her smooth, black hair. It was a relief to let it all off her chest, though she was unsure of what Phineas' response would be. She wasn't exactly planning on spilling a secret anxiety that had been building up for the last couple years.

Phineas studied her, his heart rate increasing slightly at the sound of her saying the nickname she saved for him. He took a deep breath, pushing away the danger and caution signs building in his head and instead allowed himself to be there for his friend, his best friend, his friend that he had seriously missed.

"Isabella, all that stuff, all of those achievements are just things that you earn not because of what people expect you to do, but because of all of the amazing qualities you already have. Your kindness, determination, intelligence, loyalty, and strength are what allow you to do all of the incredible things you've accomplished. People look up to you and expect all of these great things because at your very core, you are an astounding person. Seriously, Isabella, you are."

She simply stared at him, not daring to move. She had never heard him say such nice things about her before, and after his iciness for the past few months, it was more than a little shocking.

Phineas didn't seem to notice her stupefied silence, as he was in his own bit of shock, realizing he had let slip out loud the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind for months. He absolutely detested not being able to be friends with Isabella, but he was terrified. These new feelings… He had to bury them. Deep. He was certain that she didn't feel the same way, and honestly he was pretty freaked out about the sudden realization that his feelings toward his best friend went deeper than pure friendship. So he pushed her away. Not his best move, but he was scared! He needed space and he needed to get a grip. He had to ignore the feelings and get them out of his system. Then, and only then, could he try and rebuild his friendship with her.

The problem was that as time went on, so did his crush. So he kept avoiding her and the crush kept existing until months had gone by and he hadn't spoken to her in forever. It wasn't the ideal situation of course, but he'd rather ruin his friendship with her from avoidance rather than letting his feelings be known and risk embarrassing himself and maybe even her forever. So, he pressed on with their conversation, ignoring the fluttering of his heart and instead turning away from her. He played with the aglets on his shoelaces as he began to realize the similarities between Isabella's situation and his own.

"I kind of know where you're coming from. Ferb and I just like building stuff, making adventures and stories for our friends. But there comes a point where I feel a little bit of pressure. What if I run out of ideas? What if I let everyone down? I just want everyone to have a great day, you know? The best day. But sometimes I'm scared that I won't be able to help make that happen for everyone."

This time it was Phineas' turn to pull his legs to his chest, looking a little self-conscious and vulnerable.

Isabella continued to stare, but this time for a very different reason. Forget Phineas' sudden compliments, someone got it. Someone actually understood. Finally. She never knew Phineas to ever doubt himself, and honestly it was a bit of a relief to know that even the king of positivity wondered what others thought of him. Which was ridiculous of course. _He has no reason to fear letting anyone down_ , Isabella mused.

He still sat quite rigid, his head tucked into the space between his chest and folded up legs. Isabella reached out, tenderly placing her hand on his upper arm. He glanced up at her touch, his eyes zipping back and forth from her hand to her eyes. He could feel the pressure of her hand even through his many layers of clothing.

"Phineas, you are inventive and creative and smart and caring and… everything. Trust me, we both understand the fear of letting people down, but I have never once doubted you for a second. You have proved to yourself and everyone in Danville multiple times that you can achieve the impossible if you want to." She paused, blue eyes locked on blue. "And if it means anything, I've never had a dull or bad day with you. Ever. Every day with you is fun."

He swallowed, a swarm of butterflies – _Are these butterflies? These are what butterflies feel like?_ – entering his stomach.

 _Oh, what the heck, why not?_ He reached out, laying his hand over hers on his arm.

 _Was she getting closer?_

"Thanks, Izzy. That really means a lot."

 _Was his face always this close to mine?_

"Anytime, Phin."

They were so close they could feel the beating of each other's hearts. Phineas could see every speck of blue in Isabella's eyes while she could count every freckle on his forehead. His breath tickled her lip and he could smell her mint toothpaste. Only a couple inches separated them, and that distance was slowly closing until…

They were hit so suddenly with a flash of bright light they both fell back, quickly covering their eyes. They had been so infatuated with each other they hadn't noticed the sun creeping upon them, its rays lighting the tips of the pines a dazzling green. The sunrise they had hiked to see hit them both right in the eye, temporarily blinding them from the opposite's blushing cheeks.

What an irritatingly and unbelievably untimely sunrise.

I'm sosososo sorry I'm so late to update. I had finals and going back home and blah blah blah. Now that it's summer though, hopefully I will be updating a bit more regularly now. I know some may disagree with my decision for Phineas to stop talking to Isabella, but I just figure that he's panicking and he's already afraid of scaring her off so in his mind, avoiding her may be his safest option. I also wanted to touch upon the friendship and understanding linking Phineas and Isabella together. They both understand what it's like to have a bunch of people depending on you, and that can be very stressful. Having someone there to understand all that pressure is a huge relief (one they both need). I hope you all enjoyed it!


	6. Excitement and Assessment

I do not own Phineas and Ferb.

Phineas fell face first onto his bed, allowing the bright turquoise duvet to capture all of his vision. Maybe it could block out some other senses too. Smell, hearing, taste, **touch** …

"Well, you must have really done it now."

Phineas looked up, startled. His eyes flashed over to Ferb, lying upside down on his bed reading this week's book, _1984_.

"Jeez Ferb, you scared me. Were you here the whole time?!"

"You mean you didn't hear me? You know I'm quite the chatterbox."

Phineas rolled his eyes at his brother's mocking.

"Sorry bro, I've just got a lot on my mind." Phineas sighed, flipping over onto his back and staring at the painted sky ceiling. _Maybe we should put a skylight in? Or project the night sky onto it? Or try to mimic the magic in the Great Hall in Harry Potter that reflects the weather outside? I gotta write this stuff down…_

"Phineas, dear brother, come back," Ferb urged, rolling his legs over into a perfect somersault and positioning himself right side up onto his own bed. "So, what's up? Is it…. Lady troubles?"

Ferb shot him a sly smile and raised eyebrows, widening his smirk at Phineas' rolled eyes.

"Well, yes actually. It is indeed… lady troubles."

Ferb's look of intrigue grew, and he motioned for Phineas to continue.

"So you know how I left early this morning and didn't get back until just now which is strange because I usually sleep very well but anyways I guess I went for a hike this morning and Isabella was there and I think we almost kissed ha ha yeah so that's it."

Ferb just looked at Phineas, his brain processing his unbelievably horrid run-on sentence until his brain picked up on the key issue.

"You and Isabella almost… kissed?"

"Yes."

"Well, that is far more interesting than the dystopian society of 1984. How do you feel?"

"Confused. Angry. Happy. I don't know, just like, just like… The Gordian knot we built as kids! Messy and confusing." He sat up and ran his hands through his messy red hair, absentmindedly staring at the wall in front of him.

"You do remember that we solved that puzzle, right?"

"Candace ate the whole thing; I don't know if that constitutes as 'solved'."

Ferb shrugged. "Tomayto, tomahto. We still untangled it, just through less 'traditional' means."

"Ferb, this isn't helping. What do I do? I've been avoiding Isabella for this reason exactly. I didn't want to make things weird. Now what do I do? She must think I'm a total creep!"

"Well, did she run away screaming?" Ferb raised his eyebrows, obviously highly doubting this reaction.

Phineas exhaled. "Well, no I guess not. Actually, we just sort of brushed the whole thing off and then it was like the past few months never happened! Like we were friends again!"

"Really?" Ferb asked. _Isabella must be going through quite a spin, from Phineas flat out ignoring her to almost crashing his lips to hers._ He sighed, his soft spot for Isabella hurting, _Poor Isabella._ But now was not the time. Besides, maybe he could fix things for the both of them.

"This could possibly be a good thing then, right? You won't have to ignore Isabella anymore?" Ferb hoped he could push the two of them together for good, from friends to blissfully holding hands in a few hours.

But, of course, not all things go according to plan.

Phineas' eyes lit up and he sprang up from his bed. "Ferb! You're so right! Now Isabella and I can be friends again! I'm sure I can get this whole crush thing behind me. I was going about this thing all wrong! Maybe spending time with her will just make the liking part fade away! I mean, yes we almost kissed, and that was pretty awesome, but I think it was just a fluke thing. The morning hike's endorphins and all that."

Ferb looked at his brother incredulously. "Uh, no, Phineas. That wasn't exactly what I-"

"No, no, it's perfect Ferb! Awesome! I'm glad I can put this all behind me. Thanks bro! Now I can work on that skylight…" Phineas jogged out of the room, grabbing his notepad and attached pen on the way out the door.

 _How could he possibly go from almost kissing her to simply being buddy-buddy again?_ But then Ferb smiled slyly, recognizing that Phineas didn't realize quite how strong his feelings were, and if he was going to be friends with Isabella again, it was only a matter of time before the heart got what it wanted. Speaking of Isabella, Ferb would pay good money to see how she was reacting to all this at the moment…

Isabella was the epitome of frazzled. She paced her room frantically, running her hands through her hair that had long ago fallen out of its tight ponytail. She had been calling Ginger and Gretchen all morning, but to no avail. They were obviously taking advantage of the glorious weekend by sleeping in, a luxury Isabella was now glad she missed out on.

But she was still stressed. She needed her best friends. She needed someone, _anyone_ to talk to. Pinky was great and all, but what she really wanted was someone who could talk back, and she still wasn't sure if Phineas and her were on good enough terms for him to build that animal translator machine again.

 _Phineas. Phineas, Phineas, Phineas. What does all of this mean?_ After their uh, _intimate,_ moment, they had just ignored it all together, and began to act like the last few months had never even happened.

Earlier that day…

Isabella grabbed her sides, aching from laughter. "I still can't believe Buford actually _fought_ an octopus. The things he would do for that goldfish."

"I know! And their still best friends. I seriously cannot believe the lifespan of that thing." Phineas shook his head in disbelief.

After their almost kiss with the sunrise, Isabella and Phineas had begun their descent down the hiking trail, once again regaining their easy conversational rhythm. Both were silently surprised at the lack of awkwardness after an objectively awkward moment, but at the same time, were mostly just relieved. Isabella was feeling quite a lot of emotions at once, but the most prominent, she noted, was happiness.

Isabella peeked over at Phineas, half of her believing that she had never even woken up this morning, that these whole past few hours were simply just a lovely dream.

"Are you excited for the break? Are any of your grandparents visiting this year?" Isabella asked, remembering fondly both Phineas and Ferb's eccentric set of grandparents.

Phineas smiled, past flashes of singing camp songs with his grandpa and exploring London with Ferb's grandparents passing through his mind. He finally replied, "No, not this year. Grandpa Clyde and Grandma Betty Jo are staying at the lake house this year while Ferb's grandparents are going to come for Christmas instead of Thanksgiving."

"Oh so it's just your close family this year? That'll be nice! I think it will just be my parents and me this year too."

"You don't have any family coming either?" Phineas asked, surprised. He knew about her very friendly and very large extended family.

"Yeah, my relatives in Mexico aren't up for making the trek for such a short time this year and my grandparents and cousins in Florida aren't coming for pretty much the same reason. But it's fine, I'm used to hanging out with just my parents. Well, and Pinky."

Phineas nodded, and they settled into a pleasant silence, the only sound the crunch of leaves underfoot and the stray inhale or exhale that came along with the joys of hiking.

Phineas finally broke the silence, looking over at Isabella a little quizzically. "Is it weird, not having any siblings?"

Isabella looked at him, a little taken aback, with Phineas recognizing this and immediately responding, "I mean, not that it _is_ weird. I was just wondering, you know. It seems like it would be so… quiet."

She smiled, now being reminded of that distinct quality of his to make sure to not hurt anyone.

"It's okay, Phineas. Surprisingly, it's actually not that weird. If anything, it's just made me more independent. Though I am surprised I've become this competitive without any siblings to compete with," Isabella chuckled. "Honestly, growing up I never took much note of it since I always had you and Ferb right across the street or the Fireside girls. I mean, I was pretty sad to have to go home every summer day, but at the same time it was nice to have the quiet at home, while at the same time knowing that I'll just be at your house tomorrow."

Phineas looked over at her, satisfied with her answer and smiling. She raised her eyebrows at him, "What?"

He grinned, shrugging. "I'm just glad Ferb and I managed to make your summers better." He paused, then let his next words tumble off his tongue. "Plus, it's cool to keep learning new things about you. It's really nice to talk to you again."

Isabella breathed in, a glowing, warm feeling spreading through her stomach that she certainly recognized by now, though she hadn't felt it in a great many months. She couldn't believe how much she had missed him, but his innocent sweetness just reminded her of how much she really, really liked this boy.

"Thanks Phineas, it's really nice talking to you again too."

Phineas' blue eyes crinkled as he smiled, and they spent the rest of their journey back home talking and laughing like normal, though both with a bit of redness to their cheeks that wasn't just because of the cold.

Back to present…

Isabella decided to take this panic-stricken energy elsewhere, and grabbed her running clothes and shoes to head out the door. She took off in a hurry, feeling the crisp November air through her sweatshirt. She didn't mind the chill though, the cold distracted her body and cooled off her mind. She could feel the the clench of her muscles ease up as she inhaled the biting air, falling into an easy pace.

Running had actually become one of her favorite pastimes, despite her busy schedule. Her soccer coach encouraged all the team members to jog outside of practice, but she seemed to be the only one who actually enjoyed it. Not only did it feel good to push her body and feel the strain of hill against sneaker, but it gave her time to reflect and be alone. With all her activities and undeniably outgoing personality, the time alone was usually welcome and quite satisfying.

She decided to run back to the park, hoping her second trip there today would be less emotionally taxing, but was once again proven wrong.

Ferb sat on a bench at the park's entrance, engrossed in a book, but still obviously waiting for her. Isabella breathed in, chuckling slightly at the difference between the two brothers. Though Phineas was an avid reader, he was a distracted one, usually tapping a pencil or knocking a knee as he went. Ferb on the other hand, was quite still, his face passive, though you had the idea that there was much more going on in there than what met the eye.

She crossed the threshold between them and stood before him, casting her shadow down onto the paperback.

"Hello, Isabella. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He smiled innocently enough, but Isabella could read past these cues and knew their deceit.

"Hi, Ferb. A little chilly to be reading outside, isn't it?" She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, silently challenging him to provide an explanation for knowing she would be here.

"Well, I could say the same thing about running, couldn't I?" Ferb smirked as Isabella sighed and let down her arms.

"Okay, how you knew I would come here is truly astounding, but I need someone to talk to, so what better than the brother of my conundrum?"

Ferb grinned. "Yes, I heard about your uh, shall I say, 'incident', this morning. Very interesting way to start of one's day."

"Ughhhh!" Isabella groaned, motioning Ferb to his feet. "Come on, let's walk and talk. I have too much buzzing inside to keep still."

Ferb complied, and they walked to a matching cadence. Though Ferb certainly wasn't above teasing, he had known Isabella was going to want someone to talk this through, and with her energy, he had assumed she would have wanted to do something active to take her mind of it. Plus, he had noticed over the past few months her enjoyment of jogging and often saw her run in the direction of the park. He was an observer after all, wasn't he?

"It's just so confusing! First he ignores me for three months and then he almost kisses me! What's up with that?! What is going _on_ Ferb?"

Ferb exhaled. Though he wanted to console Isabella through this confusing time, his loyalties still lied with his brother. He couldn't tell her that Phineas liked her, but perhaps he could prod her in that direction.

"Well, from what I've noticed, people tend to kiss one another when they have certain feelings toward them."

Isabella turned to him excitedly. "So you think he likes me?!"

Ferb swallowed nervously, then gained his composure. "I'm not sure. Maybe he's confused. Either way I would most likely advise patience. Though throwing him a few hints may help the process."

"Hints, huh? So back to how it was before? I don't know Ferb. I don't want to be hopelessly devoted to him again. I don't want him to have all that power over me." She paused, taking in the barren trees and bleak clouds that had settled over the sun. "But I missed him. I really freaking missed him."

Ferb offered her a consoling pat on the shoulder. "Don't give up Isabella. You never know what may happen. You are just as capable of Phineas as accomplishing the impossible. And Phineas," Ferb paused, giving her a long, telling look, "is most certainly possible."

He gave her one last quick smile then headed home, leaving behind a tremendously confused yet hopeful girl in his wake.

Again, very very sorry for taking an extraordinary amount of time to update. Life got in the way and all that. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and for those of you who have stuck around for this long, thank you. It means a lot. Comment if you have any questions, comments, advice, etc. And thank you again to all who have liked, commented, or followed this story!


	7. Time to Decorate

Isabella closed her locker door shut, not quite sure how she could be both so profoundly happy and so intensely distressed at the same time. Maybe it was just a hormonal thing? No, she wishes. It was because of him.

 _Stupid boys, I really should just devote myself to a nunnery or something._

Except… No. She would take the whirlwind of the last few weeks over the months of solitude without Phineas any day.

Phineas and Isabella got back to their original friendship with little to no bumps on the road. They took the bus together, sat next to each other in English class, and hung out at their respective houses doing homework or just enjoying each other's company. It was bliss, for both of them… Except for when it wasn't.

Isabella had taken Ferb's advice and had resumed her friendship with Phineas, but it was as agonizing as it was delightful. Phineas had unfortunately chalked up his so called "crush" on her to nothing but some confusion in the heat of the moment. Every time Isabella tried to bring the heat or drop a hint, he turned pink, laughed awkwardly, then all of a sudden remembered a school project he had due tomorrow. I mean, they had almost kissed! She had thought, for at least a second, that maybe he felt the same way. But, she surmised, perhaps she was wrong. She was of course ecstatic to have him back in her life, but it was tooth-pullingly frustrating for him to not reciprocate her feelings. So basically, she was ten years old again. It was some torturous form of unsatisfying happiness.

And now, Isabella realized, she had to go over to Phineas' house to set up for a holiday party the Flynn-Fletchers were hosting. She was (obviously), always ready to help, but she could only handle so many years of decorating the Flynn-Fletcher house for a party where Phineas gave her his adorable 8 gifts (for Hanukkah), but always signed, " _Your Friend, Phineas_."

Speak of the devil, Phineas strolled down the hallway to her, his face brightening as she waved, and Isabella not able to resist the warmth she felt flowing through her as he approached.

"Hey, Izzy! Ready to get decorating?" Phineas asked, leaning against the locker next to hers.

She gave him a thumbs up. "You got tinsel? You got ornaments? You got wreaths? I can handle it all. Those Christmas elves ain't got nothing on me."

Phineas chuckled, bemused at her determination. "Well don't worry, we definitely got it all." He paused, then took the plunge, "Even mistletoe." His eyes darted to her face, watching her expression carefully for enticement, or he guessed, disgust.

She raised her eyebrows, surprised and delighted at his uncharacteristic (even if modest) flirtation. "Well," she smirked, "Don't worry. I can handle some mistletoe."

Phineas shot red and green streamers out his quickly thrown together streamer cannon, sweating profusely. He made the cannon to make his life easier, though perhaps the increased perspiration wasn't due to the strain of decorating.

Isabella glanced at Phineas' handiwork and flashed him a thumbs up of approval to which Phineas grinned and tripped slightly over his feet, adding to the stress of the situation at hand.

Phin was having a difficult time. Over the past few weeks, as much as he tried, he couldn't get Isabella out of his head. As much as he protested otherwise, to Ferb, to Candace, to his mom, to himself… There was a part of him that was sensible and honest and knew that he had an attraction for his best friend that went beyond just finding her cute.

In reality, the past few weeks have been just as torturous for Phineas, if not more so. Every time Isabella casually touched his hand or leaned in closer he felt his heart lurch into his stomach and all he wanted to was give in, and pull her close.

But this whole thing was quite the conundrum. How would this affect their group's friendship?

What if she didn't like her back? What if their relationship would be ruined forever? Their time apart was three months too many. He wanted her in his life no matter what, and despite all of her signals, he couldn't help but doubt her reciprocating his feelings. Math and science were all about equations, hypotheses, and leaving as little room for doubt as possible. In love, there was endless room for doubt and failure. There was no way to ensure success, and for someone who has long depended on surefire ways to achievement, venturing into the land of malfunction was not exactly attractive.

 _But Isabella is attractive,_ Phineas reasoned _. And smart. And nice. And thoughtful. And really cute when she gets excited about something and her eyes light up and she jumps around. Or when her favorite song comes on in the car and she starts singing as loud as she can. Or when…_

"Uh, Phineas?" Isabella poked him with a strand of tinsel, shaking him from his affectionate daydreams.

He shook his head quickly, turning to her. "Oh yup, uh what's up?"

She giggled slightly before gesturing to the tinsel in her hands and the wide entryway between the kitchen and living room.

"Do you have a ladder or something? I can't reach, and honestly I'm not sure I still have all my gymnastic skills from my Fireside Girl days."

Phineas chuckled, answering, "Yeah! We should have one in the basement, let me go check."

"Ooooo the creepy basement? I'll come!" Isabella replied. After the boys' Haunted House four years ago, there was very little that actually scared her anymore.

They both headed down the basement steps, ignoring the heavy, mildew smell that is home to all unfinished underground spaces.

"Looks like there's one over there," Isabella pointed. Phineas nodded, and they began to meander their way through the clutter before Isabella pointed something else out over on an opposite shelf.

"Look Phineas!" she squealed, "I think it's the old remote control for your mom's car!"

"Seriously? Oh man it is! I forgot all about that!" He gazed over it affectionately, the memories of winning the race from Ferb's expert video game skills washing over him.

He smiled, remarking, "That was such a fun day."

"It was," Izzy grinned. "You really gave us Fireside girls some good practice in automobile training."

Phineas glanced up at her, "I knew you guys could handle it. You and the girls were downright unstoppable. You still are."

She blushed, looking down at her feet to hide her red cheeks. "Hey, we weren't the ones who tricked out the car. Or drove it around the track to win. Or made it reversible to go back to normal. If you weren't aware, those aren't expected activities from ten year olds, Phineas."

Phineas shrugged, grinningly sheepishly. "You know we didn't do it for the glory. It was just… Fun."

"I know," Isabella spoke, playing with a loose thread of her sweater. She released the fabric and looks him in the eye. "But it doesn't make what you guys did any less impressive."

And all of a sudden, the two of them were back to that last day of summer four months ago. Once again, Phineas was taking in every detail, though now he knew where to look. He traced his favorite lines of Isabella with his eyes, following the blue of her irises, the loose strands of hair falling out of her braid, and the creases of her mouth, as she bit down on her bottom lip with nervous energy.

He was being pulled towards her; some kind of force he couldn't explain (much like the mysterious force Candace still cannot compute) and he couldn't help but flash back to their perch on the mountaintop, and the relief that rushed through him as he finally got his best friend back.

His best friend… Is it worth possibly losing her over some silly crush? _No, no it's not_ , Phineas resolved, forcing himself to jump back.

"Uh, the ladder! We should grab it. Time is money and money is power and pizza or, uh, something." He coughed awkwardly before stepping carefully around her, leaving as much room as possible.

Isabella sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh, yeah, we wouldn't want to come down here for nothing," she said, making her way over to help him haul the ladder up the stairs.

The party was in full swing. Thanks to the efforts of Phineas and Isabella, the Flynn-Fletcher house looked quite festive. Red and green streamers swung from every entryway and wrapped neatly around the stair banister. The tree was sparkling with gleaming lights and ornaments while tinsel lined practically every piece of furniture downstairs. Thanks to Linda and other parents in the neighborhood, the dining room table was lined with delicious dishes, plus dozens of pies and different types of cookies topped the kitchen countertops.

Under any other circumstances, Phineas would be having an extremely pleasant evening talking to friends, eating tasty food, and just enjoying the Christmas cheer. But he was becoming rather distraught at his situation. He was so torn about his feelings with Isabella, he couldn't even enjoy a holiday party with his friends and family. As someone who normally dealt with breaking through the "what ifs" to make something incredible, he just couldn't get over the fear of losing her. He hadn't felt actual fear in a very long time, and honestly, he didn't really care for it.

As Phineas was sighing into his eggnog, Isabella was pacing outside the front door, determined that this would be the night she told him how she felt. She thought he felt the same way, and honestly even if he didn't, she had been feeling this way practically her whole life! This wasn't just a silly childhood crush. She cared for Phineas in a way that she hadn't about anyway else. Heck, she may even _love_ him.

She gulped a bit at this realization, but then stopped her pacing and faced forward. Yes, tonight was the night. Tonight, she would finally tell Phineas how she felt.

Hope you guys enjoyed this one! As always, I am so sorry for not updating regularly, life is crazy. The good news is I pretty much have already written the next one, so that should be posted soon (and not like four months later). Big thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, or reviewed! It warms my little heart. Unfortunately though, this story is drawing to a close and there will only be two more chapters (one being basically an epilogue of sorts). I love every single person who has actually read every chapter. You rock and make me want to keep writing these. Also if you catch my Parks and Rec reference you're a star.


	8. Gift Exchange

I do not own Phineas and Ferb.

Phineas bit off pieces of his gingerbread cookie, standing next to Ferb and smiling half-heartedly at Baljeet and Buford's bickering on whether or not it was possible to swallow an entire apple pie whole.

"I am telling you Buford, it is not physically possible!" Baljeet was turning red in anguish, desperately trying to get through to the "bully".

"Well, we can stand her talkin' about it, or I can just prove you wrong," Buford shrugged, making his way to the kitchen with Baljeet jabbering off behind him.

Phineas sighed, causing Ferb to roll his eyes. He couldn't handle much more of moody Phineas. Their relationship worked because of the balance between excitement and calm, spontaneity and planning, talkative and silent; There couldn't be two quiet, introspective brothers. It just wouldn't work.

"Phineas," Ferb pleaded. "Enough. I know you like Isabella, just please end your suffering and go tell her."

"Ha! Me? What?" Phineas offered, faking shock, before giving up and opening his mouth to explain his conundrum.

"But," he started, before Ferb cut him off.

"No, Phineas. No buts. You like her and she likes you. I know you're fearful of her not reciprocating your feelings or ruining your friendship, but that's impossible. You two have known each other forever and would never let anything hurt that. You both are the best people I know. Enough dawdling, enough fear. We both know that's not like you."

Phineas looked at him, touched by how well Ferb knew him and his thoughts, though his brain only lit up on one thing.

"You really think she likes me?"

Ferb looked at him with a look so incredulous, even Phineas stopped talking. Before he could gather his thoughts for his own retort, Isabella walked through the door, searching the crowd for Phineas, then immediately smiling when she caught his eye, leaving Phineas speechless at the sight of her.

Isabella was wearing a silver dress, that sparkled under the many twinkling lights. She wore her hair down, the top half pulled out of her face with a silver bow. She paired the dress with silver flats and shiny pink lip gloss. Basically, she looked like a dazzling, gorgeous ornament, without looking too over the top.

Phineas was tongue-tied, though slowly a small, loving smile crept across his face. In his eyes, she always looked pretty, but tonight she looked simply iridescent.

Ferb rolled his eyes good-naturedly at Phineas' stunned expression, then turned to say hello.

"You look lovely, Isabella."

She smiled, blushing. "Thanks, Ferb! You clean up pretty well yourself," she said, nodding at his tie and blazer.

She then turned to Phineas, saying, "Hi Phineas. Merry Christmas."

"Uh, hi Isabella! Um, you look really nice. Happy Hanukkah! I have your gifts upstairs."

She blushed, biting her lip to keep from giggling like she does when she gets the "crushies", then remembered her mission, "Oh! I have your gift too! Can I give it to you now?"

"Sure! I'll just go grab your gifts." He said, starting to make a move for the stairs.

She stopped him, reaching out for his arm. "Um, actually could I maybe give it to you upstairs?" She widened her eyes, hoping he wouldn't reject her before her master plan had even begun.

Luckily, he just gave her a surprised look then shrugged. "Sure! Let's go."

"Great," she said, pausing to give Ferb a dirty look in response to his smirk and wink.

They walked up the stairs in silence, their apprehension was as palpable as it was thick. Isabella played with her dress, just as she had four months ago in the backyard, while Phineas wringed his hands nervously, trying to think of what he could say that would make this work out the best.

They reached his and Ferb's room, with Phineas walking to his desk to retrieve the eight gifts.

"Uh, wait," Isabella, called out, a bit louder than intended, due to her nerves. "I mean, I'll go first, if that's okay."

"Sure," he replied, a bit taken aback by her nervous energy. He took the seat next to her on his bed, both turning to face each other at the same time. They both chuckled at their synchrony, taking their own deep breaths, before Isabella pulled a small box from within her purse.

"So, I was struggling pretty hard with what to give you, because this gift just feels more important this year." She paused, looking at him to check his expression. He smiled encouragingly, which made her breathing both easier and harder somehow.

"So I wanted to give you something that would show how, well, important you are to me. Because you're my best friend, Phineas. All that we've done for the past, well, forever, has been so great and so fun because it's all been with you. Because, Phineas," she paused, taking a shaky breath in, not expecting the prickling of tears forming behind her eyes.

She couldn't help but feel it all forming, all of the laughs and summer afternoons and sports games and homework sessions piling up in her mind, as she truly understood how much he really meant to her. He wasn't someone she was just infatuated with. She wasn't in love with the mere idea of him. She loved him, every single part of him.

"Um," she coughed, looking down as messy, salty tear fell right on the gift she was holding, causing Phineas to reach out and touch her shoulder in alarm.

"Are, are you okay?" He looked at her with wide eyes, his concern growing with the passing seconds of silence.

"Yeah! Yes, uh. Sorry," she laughed, trying to shake it off and giving him a somewhat reassuring smile. "Whew, sorry. I'm fine. Seriously, the holidays just really get to me."

She grimaced at her lame excuse but didn't know what to do. She had just been psyching herself up for this exact moment, but now she didn't even understand how to express her feelings without him running away. How do you tell someone you love them, without knowing if they love you back?

"Here," she muttered, practically shoving the wrapped gift into his lap, cursing herself for not being strong enough to say the one thing she pictured herself saying a thousand, a million, a billion times in her head.

"Um, okay," he mumbled hesitantly, pausing to glance at her defeated expression before unwrapping the perfectly wrapped gift with less gusto than normally. When he finally untangled his way through the flawless ribbons adoring the package, he opened the box within it, letting out a gasp when he saw what was inside.

Isabella prided herself on being a great gift giver, but even she admitted that this year she had really outdone herself. She had been planning this since the summer, knowing that she would need Ferb's help in the process.

What Phineas was now pulling out of the box and examining lovingly, was a snow globe. Isabella had asked Ferb for the sketches of their first big project, the rollercoaster, from all those summers ago, which she had then used to weld a miniature version to put inside the globe. It wasn't just the rollercoaster though. Since it had spread all over Danville, underneath and through the rollercoaster was Danville itself with the various Mr. Slushy's Burgers, the Googolplex mall, and the sprawling local park. She had even included his house and her own, right across the street from each other. On the rollercoaster were the cars with a miniature Phineas, Ferb, Buford, Baljeet, Candace, Perry, Fireside girls, and Isabella herself. On the wooden base that the globe rested on were the words "Carpe Diem" in golden calligraphy.

Phineas looked at her, absolutely floored. He had never received a present with so much effort and care put into it. This blew Candace's left-handed flange tuner straight out of the water.

"Isabella. This, this is incredible." He shook his head, astounded. He never imagined she would go through such lengths to make something so special. He knew that she knew how important that summer was to him, so to capture such a wonderful piece of it in such a beautiful way… Well, he was speechless.

"How did you even- I mean, how long did this take?!" He kept running his hands over it, turning it in his hands, admiring every little detail.

Isabella blushed, clearly pleased that he liked it so much. "Oh, don't worry about it. It actually was pretty fun to make! Ferb helped me with drawing out the model and scaling it down, plus he suggested what materials to use and-"

She was cut off mid-way by the force of Phineas' embrace. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, burying he face into her neck, breathing in her lavender perfume. "It's absolutely perfect, Isabella! I love it."

She smiled a soft, moved smile before placing her hands on his waist and leaning onto his shoulder, sighing sweetly at the feeling of him holding her.

After a few seconds of comfortable bliss for both of them, Phineas pulled away gingerly, placing the gift carefully next to him. _She understands_ , he realized. _All of the adventures, the building, she gets how important it is. She gets it._

He flashed back to their conversation on the hike, thinking about how alone it could feel, having so many expectations placed on them both. Somehow, she was able to understand the burden he placed on himself, and better yet, she never expected him to to do something brilliant every second. _To her, I can just be me, and that's enough_ , he understood.

To her, the rollercoaster, the trip around the world, the rocket ship, they were all so amazing because of who she spent those days with. It wasn't necessarily what they did, but who they spent it with. And, he realized, he felt the exact same way. _There's no one else_ , he realized with a start. _I have to tell her. Carpe diem and all that,_ he chuckled to himself.

He then took a deep breath, taking her hands in his, as she looked at him, startled at his forwardness.

"Isabella," he started. "There's something I need to tell you. I know we're best friends, and I love having you in my life. And I wouldn't never want to hurt that! But, Izzy…" He paused, taking the chance to look into her deep blue eyes, that were currently widened in shock.

"I like you, Isabella," he said finally. "I like you as more than a friend and I really hope you feel the same way. But if you don't, I completely understand and I just really don't want to lose you," he spoke, looking at her with such a humbled and apprehensive expression, Isabella's heart softened into jelly.

Her mouth fell open, as she gripped Phineas' hands in shock. Her brain kept trying to process what was happening, but it just couldn't compute. She knew there was always the possibility that he liked her back, but now that it was actually happening, now that it was real, her body was apparently shutting down from shock and joy.

"You like _me_?" She stammered out, her face still fixed with a flabbergasted expression.

Phineas, taking her shock as some form of disgust, was suddenly even more nervous than before, but now that he had just admitted his feelings, was unable to hold back the words that just kept pouring out.

"Look, I know it's weird since you know, we've been friends for ages! But I guess it really started on the last day of summer a few months ago. For once I just didn't know what to do, which was strange, since I usually have a handle on things, you know? I just, I like everything about you, Isabella. I love how determined you are and how hard you work and how nothing gets in your way. You're always there when I need you, from a specific sap to just someone to do homework with. You're fearless and kind and thoughtful. You just make everything better. I guess… you're just my favorite person, Izzy, you know? You're my favorite, and you're Isabella, and that is just, wonderful."

Throughout this whole little speech, Isabella had raised a hand to mouth, still gaped open, tears forming behind her eyes, threatening to spill any second. With a shaky breath in, she placed her hand gently on his cheek, the other on his hand, then leaned in, gently pressing her lips to his.

Phineas could feel his heart hammering in his chest, since he too was having trouble understanding the situation. His mouth was on another person. He was kissing someone. He was having his first kiss! And it was with Isabella!

A grin formed underneath Isabella's as he pulled her closer, not understanding how it could have taken him this long to get to where they were now.

They pulled apart, both cheeks red from happiness, both giggling and giddy.

"I like you too, Phineas. A whole lot. If you couldn't tell." She smiled, laughing, gazing at his face, taking in the moment, before her expression fell.

"What, what is it?" Phineas said in alarm, anxious about her changing look.

"Well, I was planning on telling you tonight! I was supposed to be the one to pour out my heart and soul! I mean, you have no idea how long I've… Uh, nevermind." She stopped, widening her eyes at her realization of her words.

"Wait," Phineas paused, looking at her quizzically. "What do you mean, 'how long'? Have you liked me for awhile?"

She paused, clearly not keen on admitting she's had a crush on this boy since she met him. But she was definitely in too deep now, besides he was going to find out anyways. And he liked her! The pressure was off!

"Phineas," she bit her lip, eyeing him apprehensively before saying, "I've basically had a crush on you since forever. I dropped hints all the time, but you never seemed to get it. I thought you weren't into me, so for the past few years I sort of dropped it a bit, which actually worked out better since I wasn't so nervous around you anymore! It got me to get to know you even better, which I am so, so grateful for. I mean, if I had never sort of calmed down, I don't think we could have had as strong a friendship as we do."

She took a deep breath in, watching his expression, before speaking once more.

"And, I just want you to know… Being a part of your life, being able to get to know you and be a part of your bubble of positivity and warmth… I just really love hanging out with you, Phineas. And I really, really like you," she finished with a smile she couldn't help from forming. Even though it was nervewracking to spill her heart and secret she had kept for so long, it felt so good! She could feel nine-year old her cheering and doing cartwheels in her head.

Meanwhile, Phineas was sitting there in pretty intense shock. _She liked me this whole time? How could I not have seen…?_

"Isabella, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I mean you've always been really important to me. I guess it just took me longer to realize what exactly that meant." He looked at her nervously, hopeful he wouldn't hold any resentment towards her. In some ways, he felt like he had let her down.

She looked at him surprised, then as if she could read his mind, she explained, "No, no, it's not your fault, Phin! And like I said, I think it's better that it took longer than I originally wanted. If we had both liked each other immediately, then we might not have developed the friendship we have. You just, you get me, you know?"

Phineas smiled, relief flowing through him. "Yeah, I'm really grateful for that too, Isabella."

They both smiled before Isabella gestured toward the bedroom door. "We should probably go back down, we don't wanna worry anybody."

Phineas nodded in agreement, before saying, "Wait, no! I have to give you your gifts first!"

She giggled, "Aw Phineas, you know you don't have to get me anything!"

He shrugged and smiled, getting up to retrieve the gifts from his desk. "You know I wanted to."

And they sat on his bed for the next half an hour, Isabella opening gifts and exclaiming in joy at how thoughtful each one was. Phineas smiled modestly, showing her how some of his handmade gadgets worked or explaining some of the more intricate presents. They laughed in unison, sharing glances and effortlessly shrugging off the label of "just friends" as they fell into the warm, rose-colored glow of falling for your best friend. They fed off each other, giving into the weightless joy usually reserved for driving with the windows down on summer nights or walking during gentle snowfall at night.

As they looked at each other, really _looked_ , they found themselves thinking that there really couldn't be anyone else. And really, they discovered, every day is the best day ever when you're with the person you love.

Hope you guys enjoyed the story! This, unfortunately, is the end. But there will be other stories, I swear! Thanks so much for reading, liking, following, and reviewing. It means so much! Carpe diem! 3


End file.
